DEVELOPMENT CORE: Summary The resources and support provided by CFDR have generated a center whose affiliates are strongly committed to advancing population research as well as supporting the research careers of their colleagues. This environment embodies what it means to be part of a research Center. CFDR has a long history of successfully mentoring junior faculty as well as providing resources to develop new projects with innovative and integrative approaches. While we have been successful, the Center requires continual support to ensure we can maintain and build this strong research environment to expand the scientific scope and productivity of affiliates. We have a concrete plan to build upon past efforts and continue to grow the research careers of our affiliates. The two specific aims are to 1) promote population science by offering a stimulating intellectual environment and 2) support the development of innovative research projects by providing mentoring, training and resources. The CFDR has enhanced faculty development and research productivity through workshops, training awards, seed grants, opportunities for professional networking, and formal and informal mentoring. The CFDR has built a faculty that is united and recognizes the advantages of collaboration to take their work to the next level. In our experience, no single activity is sufficient to broaden the scope and impact of CFDR research, but combined with a high quality infrastructure, these activities provide opportunities for affiliates to produce work with high scientific impact. CFDR provides four sets of services. 1) Both formal and informal mentoring help affiliates generate novel and important new research. Mentoring will move population science forward by increasing affiliates' competitiveness for external funding. In our experience, effective mentoring coupled with development awards are ingredients for success. 2) The Core fosters research exchanges. The CFDR provides opportunities for affiliates to forge new ties with one another and the broader research community through annual symposia, seminars, working groups, hosting postdoctoral fellows and visiting scholars, and the OSU/BGSU graduate student conference. 3) The Core provides training opportunities. To ensure CFDR affiliates have the skills necessary to produce research on the forefront of methodological advances, the CFDR offers funds for additional training as well as didactic workshops.4) The Core supports research development awards. The goal of these targeted seed grant awards is to provide resources to help launch new research that requires external funding. The Development Core has been effective by combining support for seed grants along with mentoring, research exchanges, and training opportunities. Enhanced support from PDB will invigorate the training awards and seed grant opportunities. We have used the PDB support to leverage institutional investments into CFDR. This Core has the goals and services that cannot be provided through individual grants and showcases how a Center can increase the productivity and scope of population research.